Tips from gaining health

Written by the fabulous Leigh, Veggie Might is a weekly Thursday column about all things Vegetarian.

Last week, I came across an article in Slate, Ignore Expiration Dates, which claims that product dating is arbitrary and can largely be ignored. Since there are no food industry standards for “sell by,” “best by,” and “use by” dates, and because storage conditions will vary wildly, consumers are wise to use their judgment when deciding what to eat and what to toss.

Ignoring the “best by” date is something I do regularly. I tend to trust my nose and taste buds when deciding when food is past its prime, particularly with leftovers. It may seem reckless, but I seldom buy perishable food with such labels: never meat, occasionally dairy, and rarely eggs. Vegetables are pretty clear about letting you know when they’re done with you.

But what about the pantry? I have a bag of jasmine rice that’s been in my cupboard for at least a year. Is it time for us to part ways? How about that ancient package of texturized vegetable protein (TVP) nuggets? I can’t remember when I bought it or the last time I used it.

I mean, after a taste test of 28-year-old rolled oats, Brigham Young researchers determined that, if stored properly (sealed container, cool, dry place), dry goods and canned goods can last for years and years, taste be damned. Good news for emergency stockpilers and promising for my rice situation.

So what’s the skinny on pantry shelf life and storage? I jumped into my InterWebShip to see what I could find.

I was initially shocked at what I didn’t find: the FDA website has no recommendations for dry goods—at least not that I could find. Meat, eggs and dairy, and fruit and vegetables are covered, but grains, nuts, legumes, and spices are sadly neglected.

Fortunately, the usual culinary suspects (and one newbie) are chock full of great information:

• Shelf Life of Pantry Items from Slashfood provides a handy chart of basic dry goods and their life spans.
• The Kitchn deftly handles Condiments and Expiration Dates and Vinegar: Does It Have a Shelf Life?
• The grand dame herself, Martha Stewart, gives up a Kitchen Chart of baking staples.
• StillTasty kicks it with a comprehensive shelf life database. Just enter the food item that concerns you and get the life span and storage suggestions.

In a nutshell (4 months; longer if rigerated), dry good shelf life is less about spoilage that will make you ill and more about maintaining nutritional density and flavor. Following these storage basics will extend the life of your pantry goods and save you money:

• Cool, dry location: vital. Pantry items should be kept between 60° and 70° F
• Air-tight containers: important. Storing food in jars and canisters with tight-fitting lids increase the mileage of your goods.
• Refrigeration/freezing: helpful. The oils in nuts and flours can turn rancid over time. Refrigeration stabilizes the oils and slows the aging process.

So what about my rice and TVP? Well, according to StillTasty, because I’ve kept my rice sealed and away from heat, it will last indefinitely. TVP lasts about a year in a sealed container, but I’m pretty sure it would sustain the roaches through the nuclear winter. If I don’t use it in a month, it’s getting the heave-ho. There is no room in my pantry for emergency insect food.

(Photo courtesy of Flickr member Maksis.)

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With a couple more potlucks in my immediate future, and summer picnics and barbecues just around the corner, I wanted to give potlucks a little more VM time. Plus, they’re just so much fun.

A potluck can be a vegetarian’s feast for a king or slim pickin’s. You’ll either be faced more choices than you’ve had in your life or endless bacon-topped casseroles and bread. But at least you can eat what you brought—and as everyone knows, bread good.

A potluck is also a good opportunity to show omnivores how amazing vegetarian/vegan food can be. I always try to choose foods that are low on cost and big on flavor. Here are some tips to help you decide what to make for your next potluck without ending up in debtor’s prison.

Choose a scalable recipe
Recipes that will take you easily from 4 to 24 servings are your potluck friends. Grain, bean, and vegetable dishes with only a few ingredients will make your life so much easier. The idea is to maximize the amount of food, not effort. Doubling a stuffed grape leaves recipe means rolling twice as many grape leaves, while doubling a grits and quinoa recipe means using a bigger pot.

Use seasonal produce
Seasonal produce, as we often remind you, is cheaper produce. Save money and serve your friends the pick of the crop. If it’s the dead of winter, frozen is the way to go.

Use pantry items
No need to buy a ton of specialty ingredients. Raid that pantry. At a potluck, people will likely only sample your wares. Your effort will go well appreciated, but it also may go back home with you. Use the opportunity to blow through that lentil stash you’ve been hoarding.

Enlist the spice rack
Those lentils will seem a lot less boring if they’re punched up with some zippy herbs and spices.

Know your audience
Sometimes it’s impossible to accommodate everyone’s dietary needs, but a little effort goes a long way. Ask yourself a few questions before assembling your dish: Does this have to have meat? Can the cheese go on the side? Can I do only half with cheese/bacon/cream of lard sauce? Your lactose intolerant, gluten-free, vegan friends will kiss you just for trying.

Don’t be afraid to fail
A potluck is an opportunity to be experimental and adventurous. Take a chance and shock the church ladies, by all means. The first vegetarian recipe I made was stuffed mushroom caps with tofu; I was sure to blow the minds of my family at Christmas dinner. To my great surprise, it was the hit of the night—and no one batted an eye at my “secret” ingredient.

Occasionally a dish falls flat and is not the success you hoped. That’s the beauty of a potluck. Even if your dish bombs, no one goes hungry. And if everyone loves it, you will explode with joy.

Favorite Potluck-Friendly Recipes
Mains
BBQ Seitan Bites (**)
Nopales Chili (**)
Pumpkin Orzo with Sage (*/**)
Toor Dal with Ginger and Green Chilies (**)

Salads
Black Bean Salad with Fresh Corn (**)
Daikon (or Jicama) and Mango Slaw (**)
Esquites (*)
Potato Salad for Rainy Day People (**)

Vegetables
Cauliflower with Garlic, Ginger, and Green Chilies (**)
Red Cabbage with Apples (**)
Roasted Asparagus and Chickpeas (**)
Tunisian Beans and Greens (**)

Fruit/Desserts
Rice Pudding (**)
Strawberry Rhubarb Crumble (**)
Sublime Fruit Salad with Mint (**)
Vegan Ginger Cookies (**)

(*) vegetarian—contains dairy and/or eggs
(**) vegan—contains no animal products

Readers, what are your favorite vegetarian potluck recipes? Any great tips you’d like to share? The comments are open and caring. Spill, if you will.

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“So, are you a vegan now?” my bff, ACS, asked on my recent trip to NC. “You always post vegan recipes on the blog.”

“No,” I said, “I bake and mostly cook vegan, but I still eat eggs and some dairy.”

My diet is about 90% vegan, with the occasional spinach feta omelet and cheese pizza making their way in. I primarily share vegan recipes with the CHG audience because they most closely represent my diet and I love to show how accessible vegan cooking can be.

A common misconception about vegan cooking is that it requires lots of specialized ingredients, and that it’s boring and bland. Not true! So many of my favorite, everyday recipes are easy and made from vegetables and pantry staples found in the average American kitchen.

A common misconception about vegetarian and vegan cooking is that it’s heavy on the meat substitutes and tofu to replace the protein in meat. Also not true! I eat tofu about once a week and meat substitutes about twice a year—on the 4th of July and Thanksgiving when I have veggie hot dogs and fake turkey respectively.

Many of your favorite recipes are probably already vegan; they’re just not called vegan because they’re “normal” food: spaghetti with marinara sauce, guacamole and salsa, stir-fry veggies, beans and rice... It’s also easy to make everyday vegetarian recipes vegan.

Here are 3 quick tips:

1) Leave out the cheese.
Cheese is often sprinkled on a dish for extra flavor but not crucial to its success. Just leave out the cheese to make your dish instantly vegan. Unless you’re making a cheese sandwich.
Spaghetti Squash Puttanesca
Camp Stove Veggie Chili

2) Replace butter with oil or nonhydrogenated shortening/margarine.
Saute vegetables in olive oil or nonhydrogenated margarine instead of butter. Substitute nonhydrogenated shortening or margarine for butter in your baked goods. You’ll save on the trans- and saturated fats, as well.
Pindi Chana
Poached Radishes with Tarragon

3) Use plant milks.
“Plant milk” sounds bizarre, I know, but there are so many choices now: soy, rice, almond, coconut, hemp...the list goes on. Try them until you find one you like; then swap out cow’s milk for your plant-based favorite. (Look for unsweetened varieties if you’re counting calories.)
Whole Wheat Scones with Corn, Tomatoes, and Basil
Vegan Rice Pudding

Advanced veganization:

4) Ditch the eggs.
Baked goods don’t need eggs to be delicious. Sometimes, especially in cookies, eggs can merely be eliminated. Other times, you’ll want to substitute tofu, flax seeds, or powdered egg replacers. The Post Punk Kitchen offers a primo primer in vegan baking, so you never have to be afraid to try going eggless.
Vegan Pumpkin Pie
Vegan Ginger Cookies

These tricks can apply to any number of recipes in your arsenal, especially if you’re planning a dinner party and are unsure of the dietary needs of your guests. Since plant oils contain no saturated fats, these tips can also help you get a handle on your blood pressure and cholesterol, if you need assistance in those areas.

Before you know it, you’ll be veganizing wildly and deliciously, and no one will be the wiser—unless you write about it in your blog.

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If you dug this article, point your shovel toward:

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